Electric steam iron



Jan. 25, 1955 S. MARVIN ETAL ELECTRIC STEAM IRON Filed June 16, 195o 2 Sheets-sheet 1 *I .....nmullllllllllll'llllllgwmllkllllllllnmm llm g1 INVENTOR. 57:41am MRI/mf Jan. 25, 1955 s. MARVIN ETAL ELECTRIC STEAM IRON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1950 INVENTOR. JZ/JNLzEYMRv/Jv BY ZOLA/YD MLLER. @37.0% www@ Aays United States Patent ELECTRIC STEAM IRON Stanley Marvin and Roland Miller, 0akland, Calif.,

assignors to Bock & Co., San Francisco, Calif., a partnership Application June 16, 1950, Serial No. 168,518

1 Claim. (Cl. 38-77) This invention relates to an electric steam iron for smoothing or ironing clothes. Irons of this classification have the common features of a reservoir for water, an electrically heated sole plate, and a steam generating chamber that is also electrically heated and in which steam is generated for subsequent discharge onto the clothes to be ironed at a point or points adjacent the ironing surface of the sole plate or through such surface.

Many electric steam irons provide for a drop by drop continuous discharge of Water into the steam generating chamber and continuous ejection of steam when the iron is in ironing position, and when the iron is tilted relative to horizontal, or is positioned vertically or is supported upright on its heel between ironing operations, the discharge of water into the steam generating chamber automatically ceases, and consequently no steam is ejected from the iron.

The above features have been found to be objectionable in that it is not always desirable or necessary for the steam to be continuously discharged during the ironing operation. ln most instances the steam should be ejected only as needed, and such ejection is not continuous. When the ejection is continuous, the cloth is dampened ahead of the iron as it is moved forwardly and the same ejection occurs when the iron may be moved in any other direction over the cloth, as occurs in a normal ironing operation, yet in the latter instance the hot sole plate does not follow the dampened area. Also, the area that has been dampened might require a longer period of ironing than would normally occur in order to evaporate the moisture. If the rate of movement of the iron is slowed down to provide for the additional time under the hot sole plate in order to effect vaporization of the moisture, then the spot where the steam is being ejected becomes too wet, and the condition is aggravated. If an attempt is made to control the rate of discharge of steam or its moisture content in order to attain the desired end with one type of goods, and such adjustment is made, then other lengthy and speculative adjustments are required when the iron is used on other goods.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of means manipulatable solely by the hand holding the iron during an ironing operation for controlling the duration and rate of discharge of steam onto the goods. This enables the operator to dampen the goods only when and where it is needed and at the same times saves water. When it is considered thatmany irons of the continuous ejection type require refilling after about thirty minutes of use, it is apparent that a substantial saving in water is highly desirable, inasmuch as distilled Water is used for conversion into steam.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved electric steam iron that is adapted for generating steam and for discharging the same onto the goods or material to be steamed at the control of the operator and at any time irrespective of whether the iron is horizontal or vertical. This enables the iron to be used for velvet fabrics that are hung vertically for ironing. In conventional irons, the flow of water ceases when the iron is positioned vertically on its heel.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means for controlling the time and duration of the conversion of steam by a trigger that is adapted to be pulled by the trigger finger of the hand of the operator that grasps the handle of the iron when the said hand is in handle grasping relationship for ironing. Heretofore, controls normally are relatively awkward to manip- 2,700,236 Patented Jan. 25, 1955 ice ' can only be accomplished by releasing all of the lingers of the hand from gripping the handle with the result that the iron can then only be used with extreme difliculty.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a water conduit extending through the handle of the iron, which conduit conducts water from the reservoir to the steam generating chamber, with the result that the handl always cool and a greater water capacity is prov1 e An added object of the invention is the provision of a manually actuatable water pump for pumping water from the reservoir to the steam generating chamber, and which pump is out of the reservoir and in the handle, and is operative irrespective of the level of water in the reservoir and when the iron is vertical with the tip uppermost as long as there is any water in said reservoir.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in the drawings, such as the improved arrangement of the water supply, the simplicity of structure, the provision of structure giving quick accessibility to working parts, the simplicity of the pump in the iron and its position in the handle, and other features that are improvements over conventional irons.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a vertical sectional View taken through the iron along line I-I of Fig. 2, but certain portions being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the sole plate removed from the upper portion of the iron to show the steam generating chamber and steam conduits. Tht steam pipe and bolts are shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational View showing the connections between the reservoir and the handle.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of the sole plate, taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a Vertical sectional View through the sole plate of Fig. 4 along line V-V thereof, but with certain parts indicated in elevation.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through the pump shown inthe handle of the iron in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken through one of the steam discharge conduits formed in the iron at the toe or tip end.

In detail, the iron of Fig. l comprises a sole plate, generally designated 1, the forward half of which will be called the toe portion and the rear half the heel portion. The' words forward, forwardly, rear and rearwardly, wherever used herein are used with respect to the pointed end, it being the forward end, and the square or blunt end being the rear end.

The lower surface of the sole plate is smooth and flat for engaging the clothes to be ironed, while the upper side of the top portion is formed with an upwardly opening recess 2 (Fig. 2) that generally extends longitudinally of the sole plate, it being understood that the longitudinal axis of the plate extends centrally through the toe and heel portions and through the pointed end of the toe portion with the iron symmetrical or substantially so at opposite lateral sides of such axis when the sole plate is horizontally disposed. Said axis is indicated by line X--X in Fig. 2, which is the same as section line I-I.

The recess 2 is in generally the form of a conduit that follows the outline of the numeral 8. The conduit is enlarged as at 3 at its rear end, and at said enlarged rear end the walls define a steam generating chamber. Hence the numeral 3 designates the steam generator chamber.

From the steam generator chamber 3, the conduit is branched, the two branches extending divergently and generally forwardly as at 4, and then after a short distance they extend convergently to meeting relation at 5. At point 5 they again extend divergently and forwardly as at 6for a relatively short distance and then the branches 3. 6 'extendconvergently to meeting relation in communicationswithan enlarged-forward end-7 ofA the recess-2, that may be termed the distributing chamber, inasmuch as the steam is ejected from this chamber onto the goods.

The; side walls definingtthegenerally forwardend of thedistributing chamber 7-'extend convergently to a point that. is on axis X-X adjacent the. pointed end of the sole plate, said walls 81 generally following the. contour of the. edgesv of thev sole plate.. adjacent thereto.

Thexinner margins of walls Sarev cut away to define an upwardly directed-ledge 9 (Figs. 12, 7) that is substantially above the bottomltl; (Fig. l)` of the distributing chamber; 7V and. slightlv'below the upper surface` of. said walls 8,. Arow-ofducts,lextends.downwardly through each of the walls 8, which ducts open upwardly at the` up- Per side'. of ledge, 9 andopemdownwardly through the lowenside of the. sole plate.

By thexforegong. arrangement,the recess.2.-may be said to provide an enlarged steam.- generating chamberA at the rear. end and-,an enlarged-distributing.chamber at its forward end connected by a pair of tortuously extending conduitsv that join at a. point intermediate said generating;A chamber and said distributing chamber, or between thel rear; and forwardnends ofV said. recess, whereby steam generated in said chamber'. will be directed forwardly along .Zig Zag Ypaths ofY travel to said distributing chamber.

The heating means for the sole. plate, and for the generatingehamber, comprisesa generally U-shaped rod-type heating-element l thatis preferably. enclosed within the materialof the sole plate.'v The legs1, 16 of said element generally followv the lateraledges` of the4 sole` plate, but arepspaced inwardly frornsaid edges, and the, closed end 17-of,v the .heating elementextendsbelowthe rear end of thedistributing chamber7 a t; ab.out, thepoint where the forwardly extending converging ends of conduits 6 join the distributing chamber,

As best-seen in Fig. 1 at 18the point where the heating-rod extends below the recess; results, in causing a substantial elevation of the bottom of the recess.

Asa result of the above structure, any water entering the` generating chambery must pass upwardly; and over the elevated part 18 of the, soleplate through which the heating element extends before it reaches the distributing chamberwhich is desirable,inasmuch; as any water that mightreach. thehot' elevationv 18, will; be converted to steam before` reaching the distributing chamber. However, should the` extremely unlikely condition occur where water would pass over the heating element without being convertedinto steam, suchwater would not enter ducts 13 for the reason that the upper ends of said ducts are substantially elevated above the bottom 10 of; the steam dis- '-tributin g chamber.

A. wall 19 substantially divides the toeportion ofthe sole plate from the heelportion, and; an upwardly opening recess 2t) rearwardly of wall 19 is adapted tohold any suitable conventional thermostat unit 22.

Secured by screws 23 (Fig. 1) or by any other suitable means over the recess 2 is a plate 24. This plate forms the upper side of the generatingchamber, distributing chamber, and the branched conduit connecting them. Steam4 generated in the generating chamberl must pass through the branched conduit to4 the distributingrchamber and out through ducts 13, there being no escape except through said ducts.

The usual conventional connections may be'made with the heating element l5 (Fig. l) for connecting them by a cord or conductors 25 with any suitable source of electricity. 26. And any suitable switchV 27 may be interposed within said conductor.

Ak cover plate 28 (Fig. l) extendsoverthe sole plate and the outline of said plate substantially. corresponds with that of the soleplate. The marginal portion of said sole plate is formed to provide a coplanar upwardly directed shoulder. or surface 29 (Fig. l) around the iron and the edges of plate Zitrengage said surface. Said plate 23 is preferably dished with its concave side facing downwardly and spaced above the sole plate inwardly of its edgesr to-provide a space S'between said concave side andY the sole plate.

A handle, generally designated32 is positioned above the sole plate and cover plate 2S, which handle is generally in the conventional shape provided with an upper hand.grasping. portion 33,v adescending rear leg3 4 above theheel ofthe sole plate, a descendingi forward leg 35 above the toe portion of the sole plate and a web 36 connecting the rear andforward legs.

The rear leg portion 34, handle grasping portion 33 and forward leg portion 35 of the handle are hollow and the spaces respectively therein are connected thus providing an interconnected passageway through them extending longitudinally thereof.

The hollow rear legportion 34 is considerably enlarged over the interiors ofthe handle grasping portion 33 and forward leg portion 35, and a reservoir 37 for water extends upwardly into said rear leg portion through its open lower end. A horizontal extension 38 of this reservoir extends forwardly over the cover plate 28 and between the latter and thehandle. Said extension 38 is spaced above the cover plate 28 by spaced legs 40 (Fig. 3) thus providing an air space 43 betweensaidreservoir and said cover plate for ventilation and to prevent excessive transfer of heat from the sole plate to the handle. Tubular vertical passageways 44: are provided through the extension 3S ofthe reservoir for, bolting they same to the sole plate by bolts 45. These bolts` also indirectly secure the handle to the sole plate, inasmuch as. the handle is releasably secured tok the. reservoirv as will'later appear.

The lower rear end of. areservoir 37 isformed to provide a downwardly and rearwardly inclinedsump portion 46 (Fig. 1) that. also extendszdown'wardlyand. rearwardly from the extension 38. Thus, the sump portion 46 is the lowest portion of the reservoir 37 and extension 38 when the iron is horizontal or is tilted-.with the toe portion of the sole plate elevated or is vertical with the toe portion uppermost. Anyfwater in either thev main reservoir 37 or its extension38, will ow. byw gravity into said sump portion 46.

Extendingv upwardly and forwardly within reservoir 37 and through its upper forward side into the hollow handle grasping portion 33.- isapipe 47; The lower open end of this pipe is in the sump portion. 46, and it is soldered, brazed, welde.dor otherwise in water tight securement to the reservoir where-it passes .through its upper forwardwall.

The forward upper endzofy pipe-is secured' within the rear end of a exible walled pump. cylinder 4S. (Fig. 6) that is enclosed within said hand grasping portion 33 and that extends longitudinally of said portion so that its forward end is at the upper endy of the forward leg 35 of the handle.

The rear end of the cylinder 48. (Fig. 6) has a fitting for securing the pipel 47 theretorandwithin said fitting is a checlevalve 49 (Fig. 6) that'closes a through passageway 50 under thepressureowater inthe pump cylinder and a spring 51, butwhich valve opens upon suction in said pump cylinder for` drainingwater into `the latter from the waterreservoir.

The forwardend-of theipumprcylinder 48.y also hasI a fitting 52 therein having a through passageway, and the forward end of which connects with a tube 54 that projects downwardly into theupper end of the forward leg 35 of the handle; Acheck valve 55v is within this fitting 52, which valve opensagainst the resistance of a spring 56 and under pressure of liquid in the cylinder 48 for discharge of water intoY the, tube154 when a wall of the pump cylinder is collapsed, to create pressure on the water in saidcylinder. The cylinder automatically expands upon release ofpressure thereonto` create the desired suction.

The lower end of thev forward leg 3 5 is closed by` a wall 57 (Fig. 1 that is formedgwithpa downwardly inclined flange 58 thatin turnfengagesthe top of the forward end of the reservoir extension 38 and continues around the reservoir. The wall 5 7 .isV formed with a vertical passageway therethrough through which extends a vertical pipe 59. Pipe 59 is connected by` a flexible conduit 60 with pipe 54, and the lower end of pipe 59 extends through cover plate 28 into` the space between sole plate and cover plate and connects byV a coupling 61 with a tubular fitting 62 that inl turn opens into the steam generating chamber through plate-24.

The flange 58 on the handle terminates along itsv lower edge substantially even with the bottom of the reservoir extension 3S, and laterally-projecting lugs 63 on said reservoir (Fig. 3) extend below theedge of said flange and are secured to the latter b y machineV screws 64 or in any other suitable manner, Thus, the handle is rigid with the sole platethrough its connectionwith the-reser Voir that is in turn securedby, bolts 45to.;th e,sole plate.

The top Wall of the handle, as illustrated, is formed in three sections, there being a rear section 66 and a forward section 67, that are respectively adapted to be moved away from the handle for exposing the upper end of the reservoir 37 and the pump 48. A web or central section 6g is solid with the handle and between said sections 66, 6

A hinge 70 hingedly secures rear section 66 to the central section 68 and a hinge 71 hingedly secures the forward section to said web. A spring catch 72 yieldably engages the upper end of the rear Wall of the rear leg 34 of the handle for yieldably holding the rear section down in closed position, and the rear end of said rear section projects slightly rearwardly of the upper end of leg 34 to facilitate pushing the section upwardly to release the catch 72 from the rear leg 34.

This rear section 66 has secured to its under side a resilient cork or plug 73 that is adapted to make a watertight seal with the edges of a lling opening in the top wall of the reservoir 34 where the said section is in closed position. In order to ll the reservoir or to empty it, the section 66 is merely swung upwardly, thus removing the plug 73 so the reservoir can be either lled or emptied.

The forward section 67 extends to a point adjacent the upper end of the pipe 59, and said pipe has a collar 75 secured to its upper end, which collar secures a forwardly extending spring catch 76 against the side of the wall 57 that yieldably engages the forward end of section 67 in much the same manner as the spring catch 72 engages the rear end of rear section 66. Upon forcing the forward end of the forward section 67 upwardly, the catch 76 will be released and the section 67 may be lifted to expose the pump and the pipe or conduit connecting with pipe 59.

The bottom side of the hand grasping portion 33 of the handle is formed with an opening into which upper convexly curved side of a pump lever 82 extends into engagement with the pump cylinder 48 at a point intermediate its ends. The forward end of lever 82 extends into the forward leg 35 of the handle and is secured thereto by a horizontal pivot 83. The lower side of said lever is attened to provide a smooth surface adapted to be engaged by the trigger finger of the hand that grasps the portion 33. The lower edge 84 of the opening in leg 35 through which the lever extends is adapted to support the lever so that its upper edge or side will be in engagement with the cylinder 48 at all times.

The thermostat 22 is conventional, and is adapted to maintain the sole plate at whatever temperature is desired. The usual manual control setting device 85 for the thermostat, extends through an opening in the web 36 of the handle for setting the thermostat to maintain the desired temperature.

In operation, when the reservoir and pump line is filled with Water, it will be seen that no steam will be generated in the generating chamber until it is forced into said chamber by actuation of the pump. By pressing on the trigger or pump lever 82 by the forenger of the hand grasping the handle, a large or small charge of water will be pumped into the steam generating chamber and steam will be ejected through the passageways 13 onto the goods being ironed. It is immaterial whether the iron is horizontal or vertical, or what the position is, so long as Water is in sump 46, the pump Will deliver the same to the steam generating chamber. Even the point may be depressed, if suiiicient Water is present to ll sump 46, steam may be generated.

The fact that the water in the reservoir is heat insulated by an air space from the sole plate, will prevent the water in the-reservoir from becoming objectionably hot, and the fact that the handle is hollow and carries the water conduit will insure a cool handle at all times. In

fact, no part of the iron around the handle will become so hot as to injure or to cause discomfort to the lingers of the hand should they accidentally strike the reservoir at any point around the handle during the handling of the iron.

The sole plate 90, shown in Figs. 4, 5, differs from that of Figs. 1, 2 in that the tortuous forwardly extending passageway from the generating chamber to the distributing chamber forms a single path extending backwardly and forwardly instead of a path as seen in Fig. 2. The sole plate is formed with a recess 91 extending longitudinally of the iron with the generating chamber 92 at the rear end of the recess and the distributing chamber 93 at the forward end. Partitions 94 extend inwardly and at right angles from one of the side walls 95 of the recess toward the side wall 96 opposite thereto.

Said partitions terminate short of the side wall 96, and arranged alternately relative to partitions 94 are partitions 97 that extend toward wall 95 from wall 96, but which latter partitions terminate short of the wall 95. The closed end of the U-shaped heating element must be crossed after the steam has passed through the tortuous passage defined by the side walls 95, 96 and partitions 94, 97 before it reaches the distributing chamber, from which chamber the steam is ejected through the discharge openings 98 that correspond with the openings 13 in Fig. 1. A plate 99 extends over recess 91 for closing the upper side of the generating and distributing chamber, and the upper side of the tortuous passageway connecting them.

We claim:

In a steam iron having a body including a horizontally elongated sole plate pointed at one end for movement of said plate over the material to be ironed with said pointed end leading and provided with walls defining a steam generating chamber; a hollow handle spaced above said sole plate, a water reservoir carried by the said sole plate above the trailing end thereof opposite said pointed end, a conduit for water extending from said reservoir through said handle and to said steam generator chamber, means for pumping said water from said reservoir and from a point within said reservoir adjacent to said trailing end to said steam generator chamber and means for heating said Walls of said steam generator chamber for converting water delivered thereto into steam, a passageway formed in said sole plate extending forwardly from said steam generating chamber, an enlarged recess formed in said sole plate adjacent said pointed end connecting with said passageway, said means for heating said walls comprising an elongated electrical heating element, and a rib extending transversely across the bottom of said recess and projecting upwardly from said bottom adjacent its point of connection with said passageway within which rib said heating element is imbedded.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,593,898 Brewer July 27, 1926 1,843,568 Ledbetter Feb. 2, 1932 2,109,326 Tricomi et al. Feb. 22, 1938 2,295,341 Finlayson Sept. 8, 1942 2,387,281 Morton Oct. 23, 1945 2,483,579 Green Oct. 4, 1949 2,515,100 Sutton July 11, 1950 2,659,989 Cone Nov. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 369,269 Canada Oct. 12, 1937 616,571 Great Britain Ian. 24, 1949 509,596 Germany Oct. 11, 1930 

